The USS Hodges (DE-231) was a Rudderow-class destroyer escort launched on December 9, 1943. It was commissioned on May 27, the following year under Lt. Cmdr. Victor B. Staadecker’s command as DE-231 and served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on June 22, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 186 people on board and had its main missions in Bermuda, New York, New Guinea, Panama, Lingayen, Okinawa, Manus, and Ulithi. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 29, 1948. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Hodges received 1 battle star. Illnesses associated with asbestos are typically referred to as occupational diseases since people working in environments with asbestos, especially people who directly handle materials containing asbestos, like Navy veterans, are at a high risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses later in life. When inhaled, these fibers can settle in the lungs, and neighboring tissue, and even spread to other parts of the body, causing genetic and cellular damage over the years. Patients may first begin to notice a problem 10 to 40 years after being exposed to asbestos, leaving them unaware of their condition until symptoms become noticeable.
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